EESDL - no not resettlement but the Queen is still paying the bills and, since the prices in dollars are what they would be in pounds in UK, an exchange rate of 2.3 means HM's allowances go a long way in Canada.
The Lower Deck was OK but the Split Crow was better, absolutely heaving last night with a good band and cheap beer.
Whatever they may say, the music here is not 'Irish' - they have 'both kinds of music, country and western" in the bars and they play the occasional Irish/Scottish tune. I think it was best described by one of the 406 Sqn guys as 'East Coast fighting music'!!
We have timed our visit to coincide with the best weather they have had all summer and a buskers convention (loads of street performers) in Halifax...it's a tough job but someone has to do it!!
Landing a Sea King on the lake is top fun and worth the visit on it's own, our simulator may be good but it in no way enables you to develop a feel for how the aft cyclic is 'played' as you ski the aircraft onto the water without burying the nose.
The Canadian military is even more underfunded and undermanned than the UK (406 still fly Mk 1 Sea Kings and they are old and tired and not very serviceable) but the guys and girls we have met have been an absolutely superb bunch who will do anything (well nearly) to make a visitor welcome.